House passes SCHIP

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) described the House’s vote in favor of the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) as a symbol of the new direction Congress hopes to take.

“The Bipartisan, fully payed for, Children’s health insurance bill represents the new direction Democrats fought for in the last congress,” said Pelosi during a press conference immediately following the vote. Also in attendance were a number of Democratic Congressional leaders and families who will benefit from SCHIP, including a couple whose son went through two million dollars worth of medical procedures.

“This is only the beginning of the change we can achieve with our new President,” added Pelosi.

SCHIP is expected to be one the earliest, if not the first, piece of legislation signed by Barack Obama. Under the Bush administration SCHIP was vetoed twice, despite support from a number of Republicans.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer touted the range of the bill’s support.

“Not only did we get two thirds of the vote but almost 30% of the Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for this bill.”

Hoyer continued,

“Fixing America’s health care will take much longer than an afternoon, but today we made an essential start.”